Since 1857 South East Asia's Malaysia had been the world's largest tin producer.
The boon times were 1913 to 1960.
In 1985 the International Tin Council stopped price supports and dumped 100,000 tons of tin, crushing prices.
Low cost mines in Indonesia, Brazil, and China outsold Malaysia, raising surpluses and lowering prices.
Tin export quotas failed.
High cost mines closed world-wide.
Malaysia's largest tin mine reopened after an ephemeral 1992 25% tin price recovery.
Tin stocks approached supply/demand equilibrium.
Indonesia cut tin production costs 25% to become the top seller.
China raised tin exports.
World prices dropped further.
In 1993 more Malaysian mines closed when government disincentives replaced subsidies.
World analysts called tin a "sunset industry".
Tin prices hit 20-year lows.
On one day, no tin sold at Kuala Lumpur.
By 1994 most Malaysian tin mines had closed.
The U.S. continued selling its "substantial" tin stockpiles, while U.K. warehouses brimmed with tin.
Factors leading to tin mining decline include: depleted high-grade tin reserves and high production costs outside Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Portugal; labor shortages and rising wages; Russia becoming a net tin exporter; tin market arbitrage; a strong Malaysian currency against the U.S. dollar; glass, aluminum and plastic packaging; thinner tin coatings on steel cans; and decreased tin-lead solder use.
Future optimistic factors include: the International Tin Research Institute forecasting a 20% tin demand increase from new tin-zinc car plating alloys; new tin compounds for fire retardants, gunshot, solders, capsules; and a cheaper tin-steel "Ultimate Can".
